Administrators delay Leeds sale

Leeds United fans were last night in suspense over the future ownership of their club after administrators delayed the decision on who had won the right to buy the League One team.

After allowing bidders less than 72 hours to put together their purchase proposals, the administrators KPMG had still not determined which consortium had been successful. It left bidders, among them the current chairman Ken Bates, waiting anxiously for a decision.

"We are continuing to evaluate the expressions of interest received and will make a further announcement in due course," said Richard Fleming, the administrator in charge of the sale. "We appreciate that there is a great deal of interest in the outcome and will take our decision in the best interests of creditors to ensure the best future for the club."

There were suggestions last night that the delay might have been due to one bidder's negotiations with the Football League over Leeds's £35m football debts. Currently all debts to players and other clubs must be honoured in full as a priority before clubs may participate in league competition.

However, it is believed one bidder is seeking to achieve a moratorium on such payments in an attempt to deliver a workable proposal for the immediate future of the club.

The Leeds United Supporters' Trust chairman, Rick Duniec, said last night: "The fans are just sick to death of it and want an end to this whole saga. Normal fans just want to get back to supporting a football team and not supporting balance sheets."